Salt Issue

Iam a big fan of making my own pickles.

My cupboards are packed with all kinds of random vegetables that I’ve preserved indefinitely. Pickled cabbage? Check. Pickled asparagus? Check. Pickled eggs? Check. When I have the time (and depending on the type of pickles I’m making), I do it the way grandma did, canning my pickles in a boiling water bath so that they are shelf-stable. This, however, can be a time-consuming and grueling process, so I often opt for the quicker route: refrigerator pickles. Refrigerator pickles are super quick and easy to do. In fact, it is just three simple steps:

Remember how I was talking about ancient cooking techniques with the Salt Crusted Fish?

Let’s take that time machine back a little bit further where we find a tool which is a little bit older than that … by about 600 million years. That’s when the warming of the planet evaporated giant seas, leaving behind massive fields of salt.

An ancient dish that is easy to prepare and will wow even the most cynical of your foodie friends.

When I am cooking there are two things that I always try to accomplish in addition to making something that tastes amazing: simple preparation (I’m a busy guy after all) and a great presentation (because I’m a food photographer, duh). Both of these characteristics are married together in one beautiful dish that is sure to impress your guests: Salt Crusted Fish.

Nothing goes better with chocolate than salt.

And black walnuts. Use a nice chunky sea salt to top these delicious whole wheat cookies, and don’t be tempted to add more black walnuts than the recipe calls for…a little goes a long way with black walnuts!

I am an unashamed dog person.

After adopting a rescue mutt from a local shelter, I went from being the guy who merely tolerated other people’s pets, to the guy who turns off the tv if there is any hint of violence to animals. I nearly missed out on House of Cards because of the first few minutes of the first episode traumatized me. Because of this canine-love I was pleased to find this perfect not-so-sweet and salty cocktail to finish out the Salt Issue of The Insatiable Lens: The Salty Dog Cocktail